


Friends In High Places

by The_Sad_Hatter



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Some Cursing, can be read as platonic or romantic, just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:01:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21991849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Sad_Hatter/pseuds/The_Sad_Hatter
Summary: Talking to the lonely god in the sky has some lovely consequences for you.
Relationships: Heimdall/Reader
Comments: 10
Kudos: 91





	Friends In High Places

“There’s a bomb on the thirtieth floor. 48 seconds to detonation.”

Tony Stark had said a lot of things that made you feel slightly nauseous, but this one was the worst. Because you were on the 42nd floor, enemies above and below you. Whatever you’d managed to upload to the USB in your pocket was important enough that they were willing to sacrifice this whole building and themselves to stop you giving it to your team-mates.

“You need to get out of there!” Clint warned breathlessly.

Like the rest of the team, he was on the streets, stopping the agents from causing havoc in the city.

“No shit.” You huffed, sprinting down the stairs.

Some asshole had cut the elevator wires, so the sixty stories could only be descended the old fashioned way. Your lungs burned, every breath feeling more like gravel than oxygen as you pushed your whole body to the limit of it’s endurance, taking the steps two at a time and hoping like hell you didn’t lose your balance. Booming footsteps clattered on the staircase below you and you chanced a quick glance over the railing, recoiling quickly as a bullet nearly took your head off.

“Change of plans!” You yelped, turning around and heading back up the stairs, firing down the stairwell blindly to slow your pursuers down.

“What, you’re sticking around?” Natasha asked sharply, the worry in her voice only apparent if you knew her well.

“Roof. Someone catch me.” You gasped, willing your legs not to give out as you climbed higher.

Sam, Tony, Vision, Thor… One of them would have to catch you. Even Peter would suffice, so long as you didn’t end up as a pavement pancake.

You tuned out the frantic voices drifting through your comm unit as The Avengers furiously tried to get close to the building, to stop you jumping to your death.

“12 seconds! Kid, hang on, we’re coming!” Tony yelled as you made it to the roof, bursting through the doors and dragging as much of the fresh air into your lungs as you possibly could.

You couldn’t see anyone as you barred the doors closed, sliding one of your blades between the handles.

An internal countdown started in your head, measuring out the seconds you had left before the skyscraper crumbled beneath you.

10 seconds…. No speck of red in the sky to signal Tony flying in to save you.

9 seconds… “Vision, I can’t make it, get her!” Tony ordered.

8 seconds… “I am engaged in combat I can not quickly detangle myself from.” Vision apologised.

7 seconds… You climbed onto the ledge, preparing to leap.

6 seconds… You hurriedly searched for Sams wings on the horizon, your heart clenching when you couldn’t see them.

5 seconds… You pulled the USB from your pocket and clutched it in your fist.

4 seconds… There! In the distance you saw the sun glint off red metal as Tony hurtled through the air towards you.

3 seconds… He was too far away, he wasn’t going to make it.

2 seconds… You pulled your arm back, and with every single ounce of strength you possessed you flung the USB towards Iron Man. Hydra didn’t want him to have it, so you could die satisfied at least.

1 second… You felt it before you heard it, the whole building trembling under your feet. The last thing you saw was the small piece of plastic you’d died to obtain spinning across the open space, towards Tony.

And then you were surrounded by golden light, washed in it. If this was dying, it felt stranger than you had ever imagined. It was like being sucked through a straw, pulled away from the world.

Maybe there was life after death, because you were still aware, still conscious, still thinking, and still terrified. You could still feel, which is why when you landed on something smooth and solid, you grunted in pain.

You stared down at the smooth golden floor beneath your hands, feeling the hardness of it on your knees. Your eyes followed the expanse of the floor, until you saw something that took your breath away. Space, in all it’s splendour and glory, right before you. Stars, Nebulas and galaxies swirled before your eyes, causing your whirling mind to grind to a halt and your heartbeat to race. Something cast a shadow over you and you slowly tilted your head in wonderment to look at the figure above you.

A man, more beautiful than anyone you had ever seen was standing beside you, watching you with stunningly golden eyes, his hand extended towards you. It didn’t add up, his beauty, the mysticism of this place. It wasn’t hell, but you weren’t the type to get to heaven.

Speechlessly and in awe you reached out for him, letting his much larger hand close around your as he pulled you to your feet with suppressing gentleness.

“Welcome to Asgard, my friend.” He spoke, his voice resonating through you, warming your blood.

So entranced by him, it too a moment for his words to sink in.

“Asgard? I’m not… dead?” You croaked.

“You are not, though it was close. The BiFrost took you from the building before it imploded.” He said, his tone worried but laced with clear amusement at your reaction.

“You… you’re….”

“I am Heimdall, the Gatekeeper and watcher of worlds.” He supplied, giving to voice to the unbelievable realisation you were only now coming to grips with. 

You weren’t dead, you weren’t in heaven, you weren’t standing before an Angel. You had been saved, brought to Asgard, you were standing before a god.

Your breath caught in your chest and you made a choking sound of disbelief that turned into an unbidden laugh. Peals of giggles echoed around the golden room as you swayed faintly, only noticing that Heimdall was still holding your hand when he used his hold to steady you.

“Are you well?” He enquired, those magnificent eyes flickering over you with concern in them.

“You saved me.” You gasped, forehead crinkling into a frown.

He nodded his head once, slowly dipping it in agreement with your statement.

“Why?” You asked, not ungratefully, but curiously.

He released you hand and moved away, standing at the edge of the room, staring out into the universe.

“For lifetimes I have stood here and watched over the realms, it is my scared duty. When Thor was banished to Midgard and befriended your people, I was tasked with watching them closely.” He said by way of explanation.

“So you saved me for Thor?” You asked, cocking your head to the side and regarding him intently.

“My duty, though honourable, is a lonely one. Eons ago, when your kind still worshipped us, they would oftentimes pray to me. As mankind grew, they distanced themselves from the old ways, and we were forgotten. Even now, they know of us again, but still they do not speak to me.” His voice carried a deep sadness in it’s tone, and you started to realise why you had been rescued by the Gatekeeper.

When you had met Thor you had bombarded him with a thousand questions about Asgard and its people. Of all the fantastical things he had told you, it was the story of Heimdall and how he watched over the universe that had caught your attention the most. A solitary figure, standing at the edge of the stars and seeing life being lived, it was tragic, beautiful and strangely comforting.

The next time you had felt lonely, you instinctively looked to the sky and realised, no creature in creation was ever alone so long as he was watching, except Heimdall himself.

“I talk to you.” You whispered with a sad smile.

Whether you were having a good day, a bad day, or a boring day, you always made time to tell the lonely god in the sky about it. You would read passages of your favourite books aloud for him, recite terrible jokes you’d heard, narrate meaningless tasks. All in the hope that you were easing a little loneliness for the Guardian of The Realms.

“You do. You turn your eyes to the heavens but you do not pray, you speak to me as though I were a friend. Lamenting your sorrows, sharing your successes, telling me errant thoughts. So, my friend, I saved you not for Thor, but for myself.” He said, his soft words in juxtaposition with his deep voice.

“Thank you.” You told him softly, the warmth in your heart shining through your words.

He smiled brightly at you, his eyes twinkling with something warm and precious that made your heart flutter and your brain feel fuzzy. His hand reached out for you again, and instinctively you took it, letting him guide you to the doorway to space.

“Thank you, for giving me something to look for while I watch.” He said gently, his lips still set into a smile.

“I just didn’t like the idea of you being lonely.” You said sorrowfully.

“I no longer am. But your friends are worried. They saw the light of the Bifrost but fear the worst. Thor calls for me as we speak.” He told you, a hint of regret lacing his tone.

“I have to go back.” You realised, unconsciously tightening your grip on his hand.

“You do.” He agreed heavily.

“But I just got here.” You protested childishly.

His chest rumbled with laughter and he shook his head fondly at you.

“Do not fret, my friend. Distance shall not part us, and I am always with you. If you wish it, there may come a time when I am able to hold your hand again.” He comforted, both you and himself.

“Like if I, say… needed rescuing again?” You asked innocently.

“Do not endanger yourself just to see me, when you could simply call for me to open the Bifrost.” He chided affectionately.

“I can do that?”

“I am the gatekeeper, and I am under no order to not allow you here. Simply not to let mortals into Asgard.” He said slyly.

The corners of your lips tugged up until you were beaming at him. So long as you didn’t cross that rainbow bridge, he wasn’t _really_ breaking any rules.

“Ok, then I’m ready to go back. But I won’t be gone long.” You swore.

“I hope not.” He agreed, brushing his thumb across your knuckles before he let go of you and strode to the centre of the dome.

“Farewell, for now, my friend.” He said solemnly as he wrapped his hands around a large sword.

You gazed adoringly into his eyes, locking your gaze with his, even as you were pulled into the Bifrost. And when you could no longer see him, you still smiled.

Because he could see you, he was always with you.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know where the inspo for this came from, but I had to do it. Honestly, Heimdall was kinda fun to write for. And Idris Elba is a BABE. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! If you liked it, let me know, I could probably be talked into writing for him again at some point.


End file.
